The demolition of an historic pub as part of the redevelopment of Darlington Railway Station is due to start later this month

Work to flatten the former Hogans pub, on Victoria Road, will pave the way for an upgraded station entrance and car park pick-up and drop-off points, while also creating new road layouts, wider pavements, and a boost to walking and cycling access.

The redevelopment is part of a wider masterplan for Darlington’s Bank Top station which will create three new platforms to accommodate current services and improve rail connections both within the Tees Valley and beyond via the East Coast Main Line.

Hogans, previously know at the Park Hotel, is seen as a local landmark in that area of town and was originally built as a Temperance Hotel.

Demolition work will begin from Monday, January 30, with work due to last until March 24.  

The Northern Echo: Hogans, previously know at the Park Hotel, was originally built as a Temperance Hotel.Hogans, previously know at the Park Hotel, was originally built as a Temperance Hotel. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The station overhaul will be completed in 2025 in time for the Stockton and Darlington Railway bicentennial celebrations and has been funded by £105 million Government investment.

Cllr Jonathan Dulston, leader of Darlington Borough Council and TVCA Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “The Hogans building has been a Darlington landmark for many years, providing many a send-off for travellers and a well-known night out for locals. But as the plans to transform the railway station and its surroundings move forward, we’re now ready to call time on the venue.

“Removing the building, which is in a poor state of repair, will open up the approach to the railway station and create space for better onward public transport links and a safer road layout. This is the first of many changes that people will see in the area, and I can’t wait to see the transformation of our iconic station into a transport hub fit for the 21st Century.”

The station project has been boosted with £33 million from the Tees Valley Combined Authority and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen.

The Northern Echo: An illustration of the plans for Darlington Railway Station. An illustration of the plans for Darlington Railway Station. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

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Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen added: “Many people in Darlington and beyond will have a memory of Hogan’s in some way, shape, or form. It’s been a landmark near the station for generations – but time has taken its toll, and now we need to look to the future.

“We’re bringing it down for a very good reason. Its departure will allow us to create a modern western gateway to the station, with a better road layout and much improved access.

“Demolition work is really ramping up on both the Eastern and Western sides of the station. This is a vital project to the future of both the town and our region and when it’s ready, it will give Darlington the station it has deserved for many years.”